Page 62 of Game on Askole

My guy laughed.“It is a bit tight, but in space, water is too valuable to waste on bathing. Our scientists came up with this solution. Watch.”With one tap on his gauntlet, Tihar’s armor melted away. I ogled his dangly bits as he stepped inside and raised his arms over his head. The transparent door closed, andbam!His luscious body was bombarded with a thick purple liquid. My dream of having hot, steamy sex under a curtain of hot water went up in smoke.

There was a clanking noise, and a whirlwind of air engulfed him. Thirty seconds later, it stopped. The door slid open, and Tihar stepped out. He smelled like chocolate. I licked his chest. He tasted like it too.

Tihar’s tentacles flared out from his head.“Do that again, and I will lose control. I need you too badly.”

God, I was so tempted, but my hair was itching like crazy. I ran a hand over the blood-stiff locks.Splat!An eyeball rolled across the floor. My honeymoon was doomed.

Musa flew in, snatched the eyeball, and soared off with a snickering KeeKee on her back.

Huh? They were besties now.

“Your Aunt Tess is one of a kind,”Tihar said, a note of amazement in his voice as he watched Musa land on a large pillow and offer KeeKee the eyeball.

“That she is.”I removed my underwear and stepped into the shower.“Which icon do I push?”

“The blue one. Be sure to close your eyes.”

I pushed it and raised my arms. The door closed, and a thousand nozzles appeared. I squeezed my eyes shut. An instant later, hot jets of stinging liquid hit me. Sonovabitch! That smarted. The barrage stopped abruptly.Clang.Hell’s tornado spun around me, making it hard to breathe. I was about to run for my life, when it stopped. “Oh, thank God.”

“You can come out now.”

My eyes shot open.“That’s a torture chamber.”

“Once your scales come in, you will find it stimulating.”

My scales? I ran a hand over my arm. My skin didn’t feel any different. I glanced up at Tihar. Why was he grinning like a loon?“What?”

He held up the mirror.

“Holy shit!” My hair literally stood on end. It looked like I had put my finger in an electrical socket.“Do you have a comb?”

“Askole have no need for combs.”

I groaned.“I look like Frankenstein’s bride.”

Tihar ran his fingers across my scalp as if he was looking for critters.

“Looking for bugs?”

“No, I was checking for tentacle buds.”

My stomach clenched.“Did you find any?”

“I did not.”He sounded disappointed.

“You don’t like my hair?”

Tihar picked me up, and his mouth covered mine, urgent and greedy. “Never forget, you are perfect.”

I kissed him back. Yum. Tihar still tasted like chocolate-covered pineapple.“Even without tentacles and scales? And your father does think I’m child-sized and weak.”

He placed a hand on my chest.“I chose you for your warrior’s heart. Your willingness to keep fighting, to never accept defeat. You are intelligent, loyal, and would die to keep your family safe.”

I gaped at him in astonishment. His assessment was dead on.“And my psychic abilities?”

“Are a welcome bonus.”

“You, babe, are honest, fair, and worthy of my respect. You have never let me down, and you would never abandon me. When I needed help, you were there. Your empathy and moral code drove you to save Musa. While other Askole warriors failed to stand up to Chimer, you didn’t.”

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